Legal | Leadership

Robin Doenicke

Tokyo • London • New York

What I Do

I’m the Founder & CEO of Zensho Agency and widely recognized as Japan's most accomplished recruiter of partner-level attorneys and legal counsel for global law firms and Fortune 100 companies respectively.

I’m also a mindfulness aficionado, a meditation and breathwork teacher, a lifelong martial artist, and an executive coach who seeks to transform the lives of those I serve.

Ask me about

Crawling on my hands and knees to the 6,476m summit of Mera Peak in the Himalayas, drinking Ayahuasca with Shamans deep in the Amazon jungle, and my daily early morning martial arts practice of standing still for an hour.

And for the rest of the story

Robin is an Australian entrepreneur, coach, and martial arts expert. A vocal prodigy, he was invited to study at the prestigious Sydney Conservatorium of Music, but declined in favor of business, working for four years as an account manager at advertising giant DDB.

In 1996, he moved to Japan to apprentice with Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu grandmaster, Dr. Masaaki Hatsumi, ultimately earning the top rank of Dai Shihan. He is today a popular teacher worldwide, and continues to immerse himself in new martial disciplines that complement and expand his knowledge.

In 2003, he co-founded Zensho, which soon became unanimously respected as Japan’s executive search leader in the legal sector. Recruitment International Asia confirmed this by awarding his firm trophies for service excellence in 2014, 2015 and 2016.

In 2016, sensing a global shift toward greater autonomy for working people, Robin took the bold step of recreating Zensho as a paradigm-changing ‘blue ocean’ platform that would liberate and reward recruitment professionals to a degree previously unseen. The market took note, and more awards followed, including “Best Company to Work For” and “Best Newcomer.”

Robin was named one of “30 People to Watch in the Business of Law in Asia in 2017” by Asia Law Portal, and featured in the acclaimed business documentary “The Movement,” released to a global audience in 2018. In 2019, Robin’s vision and commitment led Recruitment International to award him his market’s most coveted honor, “Business Leader of the Year,” and he was again recognized for leadership excellence in 2020 when APAC Entrepreneur magazine featured him as one of the “20 Most Influential Entrepreneurs in Japan.”

Coaching is an essential art for one so passionate about helping others accelerate the emergence of their potential. In 2020, Robin was awarded certifications — as a Stakeholder Centered Coach by world #1 Marshall Goldsmith, and from Andrew Neitlich’s renowned Center for Executive Coaching. He is also credentialed as a Professional Certified Coach by the International Coaching Federation.

When not turning the recruitment world on its head, he can be found braving the toughest Himalayan treks or exploring the mysteries of Ayahuasca in the Peruvian Amazon. He is a devoted husband and father to the three loves of his life — wife Yuki, daughter Emma, and son Joe — with whom he lives in Tokyo.

Robin’s motto: This is it. Let life flow.

Ayni Programs

Recruitment brought us extraordinary opportunities, so our recruiters donate a small percentage of their earnings to our charity, called Ayni. Each year, Ayni funds programs at Shisei Gakuen, an orphanage in Tachikawa City, Tokyo. Two of our favorite programs are Speakout and Careers in Nature.

Speakout is an event that provides the kids with career mentorship, something every Zensho recruiter knows is vital to a person’s chances of living a full life. What makes it so special is that every one of the speakers also grew up at Shisei Gakuen. Returning as big brothers and sisters, they share their practical work experience with the next generation of graduates. And since it’s held as a business lunch at a hotel, Speakout offers a double benefit: encouraging the kids to think seriously about their futures, and reminding them that proper table manners are a powerful asset when trying to make a good first impression!

Careers in Nature is our scholarship program for kids at Shisei Gakuen who are specifically interested in careers related to nature. To qualify for a scholarship, they write essays about their plans for work in farming, fishing, forestry, conservation, marine biology and veterinary medicine. They have dreams, but, without the sort of education and training that parents usually finance, might have difficulty realizing them. These scholarships are our way of helping these youngsters get started on the good foot while doing our bit for Mother Earth.

Ask the Zensho tribe what it means to close a deal. When we succeed, our clients get the talent they need, our candidates make the career change they wanted, our Partners move a step closer to achieving their personal ‘why,’ and we all participate in this magical dance of reciprocity called Ayni.

How does that feel? Energizing.